the various stakeholders. The ASN regional divisions and other regional administrations concerned also regularly organise regional awareness-raising and discussion symposia for which the actors of this professional branch show a real interest. Lastly, in 2024 as in the last few years, no cases of overexposure of industrial radio- graphy operators were reported to ASN, even if several significant events linked to loss of source control (source “jamming”) did occur during the use of gamma ray projectors. Like last year, the operators have undertaken no inappropriate or prohibited actions or manipulations, thereby avoiding causing unnecessary exposure or complicating the subsequent work that would be necessary to restore a normal situation. ASN points out the obligation for all gamma ray projector users to obey the instructions applicable in the event of a situation of “source jamming” outside the projector, which consists during the emergency phase in immediately stopping any handling of the projector or its accessories, rapidly cordoning off the area to avoid any further exposure to ionising radiation and contacting the device supplier for assistance. Penal enforcement actions have already been proposed for serious breaches, and will continue to be so. The companies must moreover make every effort to ensure that their operators have the applicable safety instructions and the necessary means to respond should “source jamming” or any other anomaly occur (deviation found in one in four inspections in 2024). Furthermore, when performing operations in worksite conditions, the outside contractors and their ordering customers must, during the preparation phase, check that any such incident would not 1. To which can be added seven licenses to use an accelerator, either exclusively under worksite conditions, or for the shared use of a device of which possession is regulated by the other party’s license. produce serious consequences outside the worksite, as was the case with the event that occurred in Colmar (see box page 265). ASN remains particularly attentive to the management of “source jamming” events. The need to plan for an emergency organisation for managing such events was moreover recalled in the circular letter that ASN sent to the radiography professionals in 2021. 3.2 Industrial irradiators 3.2.1 The devices used Industrial irradiation is used for sterilising medical equipment, pharmaceutical or cosmetic products and for the conservation of foodstuffs. It is also used to voluntarily modify the properties of materials, such as for the hardening of polymers. These consumer product irradiation techniques can be authorised because, after being treated, these products display no residual artificial radioactivity (the products are sterilised by passing through radiation without themselves being “activated” by the treatment). Industrial irradiators often use cobalt-60 sources, whose activity can be very high and exceed 250,000 terabecquerels (TBq). Some of these facilities are classified as BNIs (see chapter 13). In many sectors, X-ray generators are gradually replacing high- activity sealed sources for the irradiation of products (see point 1.3.1). 3.2.2 Evaluation of the radiation protection situation BNIs excluded, ASN carried out 10 inspec- tions from 2022 to 2024 (of which 5 were in 2024) in this sector, out of the 21 facilities currently licensed. These inspections show that the radiation protection organisation is satisfactory, particularly as regards the appointing of an RPE (no deviations observed), the radiological zoning put in place on the inspected licensees’ premises (no deviation observed), the informing of new employees (just one deviation observed), compliance with the licenses issued by ASN with regard to the radionuclides or maximum activities held (just one deviation observed), the consistency of the licensee’s inventory of sealed radioactive sources in its possession with the national inventory held by IRSN (just one deviation observed) and the performance of verifications (two deviations observed). The risk is well controlled, in particular thanks to the generally satisfactory verification, upkeep and maintenance of the facilities in accordance with the provisions described in the licensing applications. Nevertheless, ASN found in about one in three inspections that it would be worthwhile adding safety devices or improving their verification. Furthermore, in about one inspection in three, ASN observed that the operator entered the irradiation facility without a radiation monitoring device, even though checking the ambient radiological activity level is a means of ensuring that the sealed radioactive source has indeed returned to the safe position in its biological shielding, thereby preventing any risk of accidental exposure. The availability and proper functioning of the safety devices and the prevention measures taken by the operators will remain points on which ASN will focus particular attention in the future inspections in this sector. 3.3 Particle accelerators 3.3.1 The devices used A particle accelerator is defined as being a device or installation in which particles are subjected to acceleration, emitting ionising radiation with an energy greater than 1 Megaelectronvolt (MeV). When they meet the characteristics specified in Article R. 593-3 of the Environment Code concerning the BNI nomenclature, these facilities are listed as BNIs. Some applications necessitate the use of beams of photons or electrons produced by particle accelerators. The installed base of particle accelerators in France, whether linear (linacs) or circular (synchrotrons), comprises in 75 licensed facilities(1) (excluding cyclotrons – see point 4.2 – and BNIs), possessing nearly GRAPH 9 Main factors leading to the reporting of significant industrial radiography events to ASN over the 2021‑2023 period 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Loss of source control Cordoning off Damage to the projector Abnormal exposure of workers Others 23 28 6 22 2 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 267 11 12 13 14 15 AP 10 09 Sources of ionising radiation and their industrial, veterinary and research applications 08 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
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